Neurodevelopmental outcome after antenatal therapy for fetal supraventricular tachyarrhythmia: 3‐year follow‐up of multicenter trial

Although many studies have supported the efficacy of transplacental treatment for fetal supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, the long-term neurodevelopmental outcome after antenatal antiarrhythmic treatment is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis and neurodevelopmental outcome at 36 months of corrected age and the incidence of tachyarrhythmia after birth, following protocol-defined antenatal therapy for fetal supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. This multicenter 3-year follow-up study is the first to demonstrate the long-term mortality and morbidity of infants born following protocol-defined transplacental treatment for fetal SVT and AFL. NDI was associated with fetal hydrops, subcutaneous edema at diagnosis, and a longer duration of fetal effusion. The neuro-developmental delay was detected only in infants with severe congenital abnormalities. Therefore, the risk of NDI is low in infants that have undergone antenatal treatment for fetal tachyarrhythmia and in which there are no comorbidities. However, the risk for long-term neurologic morbidity might be considered somewhat increased in those with fetal hydrops with subcutaneous edema and associated severe congenital abnormalities.